Ashes 2025-26: 'Everyone has their own opinions' - Shoaib Bashir responds to Nathan Lyon's 'okay' remark
"Everyone has their own opinions and that's fine. I just stick to what I believe and what the people around me believe. I don't really look at that stuff," Bashir said.
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England’s leading spinner Shoaib Bashir has had no effect upon him in the aftermath of the remarks made by Australian counterpart Nathan Lyon following his performances in the recently concluded home series against India. The right-arm spinner admitted that he has been an avid follower of Lyon throughout his Test career and has even picked up tips from the Australian, which he now plans to put to use during the upcoming Ashes tour.
Lyon had rated Bashir’s showing as average during the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy 2025 and suggested that Jack Leach might be England’s best spin option as both teams prepare for the upcoming Ashes Down Under later this year. Bashir, who was ruled out after the third Test due to a finger injury and is currently recovering, responded to Lyon’s jibe with calm confidence, while also acknowledging the senior pro's skills when it comes to doing his job.
"Everyone has their own opinions and that's fine. I just stick to what I believe and what the people around me believe. I don't really look at that stuff. I do enjoy the way he [Lyon] bowls, especially his overspin, it's a great asset he has, and the amount of revs he puts on the ball. He's someone I've been looking at for a while now. I learned you do get bounce but you've got to find a way to use that. I've got height but there's more than just height to extract bounce from the wicket. Just small technical things," Bashir said as quoted by India Today.
"It's just (about) nailing what I do best. If you look at my attributes – I'm tall and try to put as many revs on the ball as I can, with that comes variations. I'm still learning, still quite young, I'm still trying to develop my game and better myself day-by-day. That will never stop. I love talking about the game and I love learning," he told further.
It is likely that the spinner will recover well in time from his injury and will also feature in his first red-ball game on the Australian soil, where he hopes to play a key role in England’s bid to reclaim the Ashes urn. The 21-year-old stated that he will not back down and is determined to raise his game to help The Three Lions in their pursuit to glory.
"Don't be surprised if I do have a word but I genuinely like to keep things cool. If things do get heated then I'm there. It would be special and a great achievement (to win the Ashes), especially with this regime at the moment. We're looking forward to what it brings," the Surrey-born concluded on the matter.
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